Washington State raises age limit to buy semi-auto rifles

SEATTLE (AP) — Washington on Tuesday joined a handful of other states that ban anyone under 21 from buying a semi-automatic assault rifle after voters passed a sweeping firearms measure in November that has drawn a court challenge from gun-rights advocates.

The ballot initiative seeks to curb gun violence by toughening background checks for people buying ‘assault’ rifles, increasing the age limit to buy those firearms and requiring the safe storage of all guns. Only the age-limit portion of the measure goes into effect on Jan. 1; the rest becomes law on July 1.

Kristen Ellingboe, a spokeswoman for the Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility, said the initiative was one of the most comprehensive gun-violence prevention measures to pass in the United States. It specifically targeted “semi-automatic assault rifles” in response to mass shootings across the country, she said.

“We’ve seen that assault rifles are the weapon of choice for mass shootings, and when they’re used, more people are killed and injured,” Ellingboe said.

“We’ve see time and again that Washington voters want action to prevent gun violence in our state,” Ellingboe said. “They showed that again by supporting 1639 by a wide margin.”

Opponents have sued to block it.

“Starting today, young adults between the ages of 18 to 20 will have their rights to purchase semi-automatic rifles stripped away,” said Dave Workman, a spokesman for the Bellevue, Washington-based Second Amendment Foundation.

The federal lawsuit says the measure violates the Second and 14th amendments of the Constitution as well as gun sellers’ rights under the Commerce Clause. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are firearms dealers in Spokane and Vancouver, a 19-year-old competitive shooter, a 19-year-old in the Army Reserves, a 20-year-old recreational shooter, the Second Amendment Foundation and the National Rifle Association.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said he “looks forward to representing the people of the state of Washington in court against the NRA.”

“The gun lobby is trying to thwart the will of nearly 60 percent of Washingtonian voters who supported common sense gun reform in our state,” he said in an email.

The full measure, when it goes into effect later this year, will expand the background check process to ensure that vetting for rifle purchases is the same as for buying pistols.

Now, people in Washington who buy long guns are run through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. Background checks for handgun sales are done by local law enforcement agencies that can access NICS as well as more detailed records that might expose mental health issues or harder-to-find criminal records. And you must be 21 to purchase a pistol.

“This will update Washington state law so the requirements to purchase semi-automatic assault rifle will match handguns,” Ellingboe said.

In most states, including over the border in Idaho and Oregon, you must be 18 to buy an assault rifle. But Republican-dominant Florida passed a law after a school shooting to increase the age limit to 21.

Nikolas Cruz was 18 when he legally bought the assault rifle he used to kill 17 people at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, last February.

Four other states — Hawaii, Illinois, Vermont and New York — also prohibit anyone under 21 from buying all firearms.

Workman of Second Amendment Foundation says Washington’s measure will take away firearms from law-abiding residents who can easily pass multiple background checks. It will impair public safety and embolden criminals while placing restrictions on people who already legally own semi-automatic rifles, Workman said.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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10 Comments

Again, The the sheeple in People’s Democratic Republic of Washington and Oregon put their collective stupidity on public display serving as an irresistible magnet to all starry-eyed, unicorn riding, right stealing statists, the government employee welfare sector and the social service scamming cadre of homeless bums.
No wonder the worlds poor want a piece of the action.

Makes me ashamed to live here, but in reality it is only a couple of counties that over ride the rest of the state on everything. This should be proof that we CAN NOT loose the electoral college. Were we to have that as a state a lot of the liberal laws in Washington would not get passed. Everybody should have a voice not just the liberal tree hugging, gun grabbing morons.

Maybe Wa needs to join CA in seceeding from the union, or better yet, SPLITTING INTO 2 separate states.

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440volt

8:47 pm January 2, 2019 at 8:47 pm

That has been purposed, in fact before you were born. Hasn’t happened yet. Part of the problem are the snakes we elect into office, from the school boards all the way to Olympia. And don’t get me started on the DC swamp dwellers. It’s been a long time since our elected representatives actually represented ALL the people in their legislative area.

BREAKING NEWS::::: Jay Inslee is making noises to run for, wait for it, POTUS! I wonder how long it will be before our little AG weasel announces for Governor.

Never be ashamed of your home Art but the lowlifes we somehow allowed to squeeze into our political offices I am very ashamed to admit live here. In fact, I don’t think they ARE from here. I don’t know anybody here that thinks the same way those on the left do. Now all we have to do is figure out how to boot them out. If we could for once stand together and tell them “We will not comply.” then maybe we can have what we want for a change. And then place a real conservative in office to uphold our wishes.

The G.O.P. / Rinos in the states and in CONgress are aiding Democrats in the attacks on 2nd Amendment , as is Trump and the NRA.

From illegal bump stock confiscation order , under an illegal rule made by B.A.T.F , which has no venue or jurisdiction , to suspension / violation of the 4th Amendment with ‘ Red Flag ‘ no due process seizures …… We call B.S. on all fake conservatives that say ” I support the Second Amendment …. BUT ”

We The People are going to hold our judges / lawmakers accountable…… BUT …..
What if we deny THEM due process ?

The gun grabbers can’t give a reasonable explanation of what is an assault rifle. They spout such nonsense as “fully semi automatic”, whatever that is. I go with the military definition, a rifle with a selective fire option. These are illegal to own without a special license that takes a year to get.

There is a youtube video of a guy showing “fully semi automatic”. All he did was pull the trigger faster. I’ve seen videos of shooters unloading a lever action faster than he did his “fully semi automatic”.

Times like this, i really would love to have the power to warp reality. AND MAKE IT SO NO LIBERAL could ever again hold a gun, or be defended by someone else who has a gun. ANY SUCH “Protector” the moment they signed up to defend such a liberal, would also be unable to hold a gun.

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